Want My App? Then Scan It. Using QR Codes To Market Your App

A few years ago, we were highlighting the use of the internet for the promotion of businesses and telling you how great it was to have your business on the web for all the world to see.

Now that focus has shifted to the mobile world. Due to the increase of mobile smartphones and tablets, coupled with the increased popularity of mobile apps, businesses throughout the world have taken to converting their online presences to mobile applications.

Creating an app for your business is not as difficult as you may think, there are companies that will allow you to convert your online websites into an app for free. However, making the app is the easy part, marketing your app in the ever growing app market is where the work starts. QR codes are the marketing secret behind a successful app.

What Is A QR Code?

QR codes, (Quick Response codes) are the key to making your app downloadable from almost any source. A QR code looks similar to a bar code. In fact, it is a form of bar code that can be scanned from a QR reader installed on your mobile phone.

Most smartphones and tablets come with a QR reader already installed, however if you don’t have one installed you can install them for free. I use one called QR barcode scanner.

QR barcode reader – free app

Create A QR Code

Some app-making companies will automatically provide you with a QR bar code that has your app details already set up.If you haven’t been supplied with one, don’t fret, creating a QR code is easy. There are many websites like Qrstuff or Qurify that can create a code for you for free.

Once you have saved the downloaded QR code to your computer, you can use it on any of your promotional materials.

Where Should You Place The QR Code?

QR codes can be placed upon any item that you can think of — on a poster, a website, a business card, back of a bus, carrier bag, keyring, newspaper, banner ad, t-shirt, invoices. The list is endless. What is important to consider is whether your audience will have access to these codes and whether they have the means with them to be able to scan them.

Placing QR codes on the back of a bus is something we often see, but is this particularly sensible? What is the likelihood that someone behind the bus will have their mobile phone ready to scan a code? If they are driving, especially behind a bus, scanning a barcode is not acceptable.

Another example of bad use of QR codes is putting a code on your mobile website. If the user is already using their mobile phone they can’t scan the code. Putting the code here is worthless.

Also make sure there’s internet access available in the place where your QR code is displayed. There’s nothing more frustrating than scanning a QR code but being stymied by non-existent or spotty connectivity.

Think logically when creating your QR code marketing campaign. If you are running a conference, you can add the code to the promotional materials, such as the daily schedule or name tags.

A fast food company should add the code to their menus, on the door to their business, even on the food box. The moment people are engrossed in your service or product is the time to encourage them to commit by installing your app.

A mobile app is your stamp. Once it is downloaded, its easily accessible; it is there when they are considering a product or service that is similar to yours and therefore it is more likely to generate repeat business. A good business is one that people come back to and building repeat business will build your reputation. People that return to a business more than once recommend that business and in turn your audience will grow.

Some opinions expressed in this article may be those of a guest author and not necessarily Marketing Land. Staff authors are listed here.